The Tank Destroyer force was created as a mobile GHQ antitank reserve in 1941.
The original concept called for battalions to be concentrated in tank destroyer
brigades and groups for employment en masse against an armored threat. In
practice, the realities of combat and the erosion of the German Panzer force
meant that the tank destroyers were usually attached individually to divisions.

Initial War Department plans called for the creation of 220 TD Battalions, a
figure that was never achieved. By the end of 1943, 106 battalions were in
existence of which 56 served in Europe or Italy and 6 in the Pacific.
11 of the remaining battalions were converted to armored field artillery,
amphibious tractor, chemical mortar, or tank battalions. 63 battalions
were disbanded -- with their personnel going to the replacement pool.

The first TD Battalions organized were fully self-propelled. However, combat
experience in North Africa appeared to show that towed guns would be desirable.
As a result, about one-half of the battalions were converted to towed in 1943.
Unfortunately, further experience proved that towed guns were simply too
immobile, making them highly vulnerable. As a result, in 1944 many of the towed
battalions were converted back to self-propelled. On 1 January 1945, a total of
73 battalions were active.

The tank destroyer battalions were all organized with 3 companies, each
company was equipped with 12 guns, for a total of 36 in the
battalion. The early Battalions also had an anti-aircraft and an engineer platoon
which were later discarded. A strong reconnaissance element was retained,
equivalent to a mechanized cavalry troop.

"Tank Destroyer Battalion Equipment chart"

The TD battalions first employed two stopgap ad hoc weapons, the M3 halftrack,
which mounted an elderly 75mm gun and the M6 TD, a Dodge 3/4 ton Weapons Carrier
with a 37mm AT gun crudely mounted in the truck bed. Later, in North Africa in
1943, the TD battalions began to receive the first standardized TD gun, the M10.
The M10 was based on a variant of the M4 tank chassis, was lightly armored, and
had poor cross-country mobility and speed. However, its 3" gun, a development of
the prewar AA gun, was quite powerful for the time. By early 1944 the first
purpose-designed TD appeared, the M18, and began to slowly replace the M10. The
M18 was more lightly armored than the M10, but had very good cross-country
mobility and impressive speed. Furthermore, the gun was an improved 3", known as
the 76mm, with a more powerful cartridge case and muzzle-break, giving it
greater accuracy and hitting power. Finally, also in 1944, the M36 was deployed.
The M36 utilized the same chassis as the M10, but mounted the powerful 90mm gun
(also originally an AA weapon). The M36 was the most powerful antitank weapon in
the U.S. arsenal, with the newly developed high-velocity armor piercing rounds (HVAP,
also known as APCR for Armor Piercing Composite Rigid), the 90mm was easily
capable of defeating all German armor, if it could get the first hit.

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There were 52 TD BN's in the ETO and 6 in the PTO

601st(M36, also served in Tunisia, Sicily,
and Italy with M3 and M10),

The 601st TD Battalion first
saw combat in North Africa and later on Sicily and in Italy. During the campaign
in France, it was attached to the 3rd Infantry Division, which took part in the
landings in southern France in August 1944, equipped with the M10 3in. GMC. It
served with the division until the end of the war and was the longest-serving
tank destroyer battalion of the US Army in World War II. It was completely
reequipped with the M36 by January 1945.

Additionel information,

1st Infantry Division Provisional Antitank Battalion converted to 601st Tank
Destroyer Battalion on 15 December 1941. Company C of the original battalion
consisted mainly of Battery D, 5th Field Artillery, the only Army unit with a
continuous history from the Revolutionary War. Arrived at Gourock, Scotland, on
9 April 1942. Reconnaissance Company landed at Oran, Algeria, on 8 November as
part of Operation Torch, and rest of battalion arrived in December. Fought in
Battle of Kasserine Pass in February 1943 and at El Guettar in March. Converted
to the M10 at end of North Africa campaign. Participated in invasion landings at
Salerno, Italy, on 9 September. Made third D-day assault at Anzio on 22 January
1944 and entered Rome in June. Conducted fourth assault landing in southern
France on 15 August. Advanced to German border in the Vosges region.
Participated in reduction of Colmar Pocket in February 1945, then converted to
the M36. Battled along the Siegfried Line until crossing the Rhine on 22 March.
Helped capture Nürnberg in April and ended the war occupying Hitler’s retreat at
Berchtesgaden in Bavaria. Attached to: 1st Armored Division; 1st, 3d, 9th, 34th,
36th, 45th, 103d Infantry divisions.

602nd
(M18)

The 602nd TD Battalion,
equipped with M18 76mm GMC, first deployed with the 26th Division on October 23,
1944, during the fighting in the Saar. During the Battle of the Bulge, it was
first deployed with the 28th Division. During the fighting on the approaches to
Bastogne, and at the end of the month was shifted to the newly arrived 11th
Armored Division. It remained with the 1lth Armored Division until March when it
was transferred to the 89th Division, remaining with it until the end of the
war.

Full crew of a M18, 602nd TD BN.

Additionel information,

2d Infantry
Division Provisional Antitank Battalion converted to 602d Tank Destroyer
Battalion on 15 December 1941. Equipped with M10s, then M18s before leaving
the States. Arrived in Scotland on 29 July 1944 and at Omaha Beach on 26
August. Committed to battle along Moselle River on 9 September. Supported
operations leading to capture of Metz, France, in November. Transferred to
Belgium during Ardennes Offensive, arriving at Neufchateau on 21 December.
Supported operations against the Bulge in January 1945. Fought through
Siegfried Line in February. Returned to Moselle River area in March, crossed
Rhine River at Boppard on 26 March. Advanced through Gotha, Eisenach, and
Zwickau in April. Attached to: 17th Airborne Division; 4th and 11th Armored
divisions; 26th, 28th, 80th, 87th, 89th, and 90th Infantry divisions; 2d and
6th Cavalry groups.

603rd
(M18)

The 603rd TD Battalion,
equipped with M18 76mm GMC, first entered combat in late July with the 6th
Armored Division during Operation Cobra, the breakout from Normandy. It remained
with the division until the end of the war, and was the highest-scoring M18
battalion in the ETO.

Additionel information,

Activated on
15 December 1941 at Fort Lewis, Washington, from the antitank platoons of
the 3d Infantry Division. Issued T70s (M18s) in October 1943, arrived at
Cannock, England, on 18 April 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 21–22 July.
Committed to battle on 28 July during Cobra breakout. Advanced through
Brittany to Brest and then Lorient in August, and raced east to the Moselle
River sector in September. Fought east of Nancy, France, in October and
supported push to the Saar River in November. Battled to Sarreguemines in
December, shifted to Bastogne area to support counterattack against the
Bulge. Crossed Oure River and fought through Siegfried Line in February
1945. Moved to Seventh Army sector in March, reached Rhine River at
Rhine-Durkheim on 21 March. Reassigned to Third Army, crossed river at
Oppenheim on 25 March. Attacked through Fulda Gap toward Erfurt in late
March and April. Helped liberate Buchenwald on 11 April. Reached advance
limit line at Mittweida circa 15 April. Attached to: 17th Airborne Division;
4th, 6th Armored divisions; 3d Cavalry Group.

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605th(T converted to M10 in March)

The 605th TD Battalion was
equipped with towed 3in. anti-tank guns ind first deployed with the 102nd
Division on February 15, 1945, in preparation or Operation Grenade, the assault
over the Roer. It was transferred to the 84th division for the first week of
March. During the last week of April 1944 it served with the 79th Division and
82nd Airborne Division, ending the war attached to he 82nd Airborne Division.

Reorganized from the 5th Antitank Battalion (Provisional), 5th Infantry
Divisions, on 16 December 1941 at Fort Custer, Michigan. Arrived at Clyde,
Scotland, on 16 December 1944. Landed at Le Havre, France, on 26 January 1945
equipped with towed guns. Entered battle on 16 February near Tevern, Germany.
Crossed Roer River on 24 February and joined drive to the Rhine. Deployed to
Remagen bridgehead on 12 March. Withdrawn on 17 March and sent to Belgium to
support British armored forces, but almost immediately attached to 17th Airborne
Division. Crossed Rhine beginning 25 March at Xanten. Participated in reduction
of the Ruhr Pocket in April. Crossed Elbe River on 30 April–1 May at Bleckede.
Attached to: 17th, 82d Airborne divisions; 79th, 84th, 102d Infantry Division;
11th Cavalry Group; British 33d Armored Brigade.

607th(M36)

The 607th TD Battalion
deployed with the 90th Division in Normandy in late June with the towed 3in.
anti-tank gun and remained with the division through the end of November when it
was converted to a self-propelled battalion. It was attached to the 87th
Division in early February and remained with the division for most of the
remainder of the campaign in Europe, ending the war equipped with M36 90mm GMC.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Fort Ord, California, from the 7th Infantry
Division Provisional Antitank Battalion. Converted to a towed battalion in May
1943. Arrived at Liverpool, England, on 21 April 1944. Disembarked at Utah Beach
17–23 June. Supported advance on Cherbourg, fought along Seves River in July.
Participated in drive to Le Mans and envelopment of the Falaise Pocket in
August. Advanced to Moselle River in September and supported operations against
Metz through November. Converted to a self-propelled battalion equipped with
M36s in time for final assauLt Joined drive toward Saar River, capture of
Saarlautern, and subsequent fight against Siegfried Line in December. Deployed
to the Ardennes sector in January 1945. Committed against Siegfried Line again
in February in the Schnee Eifel. Supported the capture of Koblenz in mid-March.
Crossed the Rhine River at Boppard on 25 March. Sliced through Hessen and
Thüringen during April and reached the Czechoslovak border near Plauen by
mid-April. Thereafter remained in defensive positions. Attached to: 82d Airborne
Division; 9th, 28th, 87th, 90th, 95th Infantry divisions; 6th Cavalry Group.

608th(Deactiveted 1943)

Formed on December
15, 1941 at Ft. Jackson, SC as a Light Towed Battalion. Deactivated on December
20, 1943, at Camp Atterbury, IN.

Personnel were
transferred to other battalions, including the 607th, 610th, 643rd and the
807th.

Pioneer Company 608th TD BN.

609th(M18)

The 609th TD Battalion was
equipped with the M18 76mm GMC and deployed with the l0th Armored Division on
October 16, 1944, remaining with the division through the war.

Additional information,

Activated on
15 December 1941 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Landed at Utah Beach on 20
September 1944 equipped with M18s. Went into corps reserve beginning 28
September east of Moutier, France, where crews fired artillery missions
through October. Joined operations against Siegfried Line in November and
early December. Most of Company C moved to Bastogne on 18 December with 10th
Armored Division; remainder of battalion fought along Sauer River. Entire
battalion fought to eliminate the Bulge in January 1945. Deployed to
Saar-Moselle triangle in February. Participated in capture of Trier in March.
Supported attack south and east out of Mannheim bridgehead across the Rhine
in late March and April and reached southern Bavaria near Füssen by the end
of the month. Attached to: 101st Airborne Division; 10th Armored Division;
90th, 94th Infantry divisions.

610th
(M36)

The 610th TD Battalion was
converted from towed to self-propelled with the new M36 in October 1944 prior to
being committed to combat. It was first deployed with the 26th Division on
November 12, remaining with it for a month during the fighting in the Saar. It
served with the 87th Division during the middle of December 1944, and was
attached to the 4th Infantry Division from the end of January through May,
except for a few days in mid-March when it supported the 42nd Division. It ended
the war equipped with M36 90mm GMC.

Additional information,

Activated on
11 April 1942 at Camp Barkeley, Texas, as a towed battalion. Arrived
Greenock, Scotland, on 11 June 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 31 July.
Committed to action 10 August near Craon, France, and participated in
elimination of Falaise Pocket. Raced east to the Moselle River by September.
Converted to the M36 in September–October. Helped clear Maginot Line
fortifications in November. Ordered to the Ardennes on 21 December. Helped
eliminate the Bulge in January 1945. Battled through Siegfried Line in
February near Brandscheid. Transferred back south in March. Crossed the
Rhine at Worms on 29 March. Raced through central and southern Germany in
April and reached the vicinity of Munich by month’s end. Ended war in
Ingolstadt. Attached to: 4th, 26th, 35th, 42d, 80th, 87th Infantry divisions;
101st Cavalry Group.

612th(M18)

The 612th TD Battalion was
initially deployed as a towed battalion with the 2nd Infantry Division and
served with it from mid June 1944 until the end of the war. It was reequipped
with the M18 76mm GMC at the end of December 1944 due to heavy losses in the
Ardennes.

Activated on
25 June 1942 at Camp Swift, Texas, as a towed battalion. Arrived at Greenock,
Scotland, on 15 April 1944. Landed in France beginning 14 June and committed
in the vicinity of Cerisy. Fought at Vire during breakout in July and early
August. Moved to Brittany and supported siege and capture of Brest in late
August and September. Shifted to Belgium in October and supported operations
against the Siegfried Line until December. Engaged Germans in Honsfeld,
Belgium, area at outbreak of Battle of the Bulge. Converted to
self-propelled battalion (M18s) beginning 29 December 1944. Joined attack
through Monschau Forest in February 1945. Crossed Rhine River in March,
participated in race through central Germany to Leipzig in April. Attached
to: 9th Armored Division; 1st, 2d, 9th, 99th Infantry divisions.

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614thColored
(T)

The 614th TD Battalion (Colored)
was first attached to the 95th Division in late November during the fighting for
the Saar, and was attached to the 103rd Division during the final few weeks of
the war in Europe. It remained a towed battalion for the duration of the
fighting.

Additional information,

Activated on
25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, Colorado. Reorganized as a towed battalion in
May 1943. Arrived in England on 7 September 1944, landed at Utah beachhead
beginning 8 October. Deployed to Metz and supported operations against the
Sigfried Line nearby in November and December. Shifted to Hagenau Forest
area. Continued to support operations against Siegfried Line fortifications
until late March 1945. Performed occupation duties in early April, then
joined race to Innsbruck, Austria, and Brenner Pass. Attached to: 95th, 103d
Infantry divisions.

628th(M36)

The 628th TD Battalion first
deployed with the 5th Armored Division on August 2, 1944, during the race across
France and remained with the division for most of the European campaign except
for the Battle of the Bulge. The battalion was attached to the 78th Division on
December 19-23, and the 82nd Airborne Division on January 2-11, 1945, retuming
to the 5th Armored Division at the end of the month. It ended the war with M36
90mm GMC.

Established 15
December 1941 from the 28th Infantry Division Antitank Battalion (Provisional).
Arrived at Greenock, Scotland on 6 February 1944, disembarked at Utah Beach
on 30 July equipped with M10s. Committed to battle on 2 August near Perier,
France. Participated in envelopment of Falaise Pocket. Dashed east to the
Belgian border, arriving on 2 September. Helped liberate Luxembourg, began
assault on the Siegfried Line on 13 September. Conducted artillery missions
in October. Converted to M36s in November, then committed to fighting in the
Hürtgen Forest in December. Shifted to Aachen sector on 8 December only to
be ordered to the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge. Fought to
eliminate Bulge in January 1945. Crossed Roer River beginning 25 February
and reached the Rhine on 10 March. Crossed the Rhine on 31 March at Wessel.
Slashed through Germany to the Elbe River by 11 April. Attacked back west
to eliminate German pockets. Took up occupation duties on 26 April near
Peine. Attached to: 82d Airborne Division;
3d, 5th Armored divisions; 75th Infantry Division.

629th(M10)

The 629th TD Battalion
deployed with the 9th Infantry Division in France during the third week of
August, and then served with the 28th Division,during the last two weeks of
September during the Siegfried Line fighting and the 2nd Infantry Division
during November. During the Battle of the Bulge it supported the 75th Division
until early January when it was attached to the 83rd Division. It served with
the 82nd Airborne Division during the first two weeks of February, and the 99th
Division from the last week of February until the end of the war, concluding the
campaign equipped with the M36 90mm GMC

.

Snow covered M10
from 629th TD BN in Belgium forrest

Additional information,

Established 15 December 1941 at Fort Meade, Maryland. Arrived in Dorset, England,
in January 1944 and disembarked at Omaha Beach on 2 July with M10s. Performed
artillery missions in Caumont sector. Joined 30th Infantry Division in fighting
at Mortain in early August, then supported reduction of the Falaise Pocket.
Participated in V Corps parade through Paris on 29 August. Advanced to
Luxembourg by early September and then supported operations in the Hürtgen
Forest and against the Siegfried Line. Shifted to Ardennes sector on 24
December. Fought to eliminate the Bulge in January 1945. Joined renewed assault
on Siegfried Line in February. Crossed Rhine River into Remagen bridgehead on 11
March and converted to the M36 that same month. Participated in operations
against the Ruhr Pocket in April, then conducted road march south to Bavaria and
reached the Isar River before ending offensive operations. Attached to: 82d
Airborne Division; 5th Armored Division; 1st, 2d, 5th, 9th, 28th, 30th, 75th,
83d, 99th Infantry divisions.

630th(M36)

The 630th TD Battalion was a
towed battalion and supported the 28th Division from July 20, 1944, until the
end of the campaign, except for a few days in mid-April when elements were
attached to the 97th Division. As such it was involved in some of the most
intense combat of the war including the Siegfried Line campaign, the bloody
Hurtgen Forest fighting, and the opening phase of the Ardennes offensive. It was
reequipped with the M36 by the end of the campaign.

Additional information,

Activated 15
December 1941 at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Disembarked in France from
England on 24 July 1944 with towed guns and entered the line near
Colombieres. Advanced across France with the 28th Infantry Division to
Luxembourg. Supported operations against the Siegfried Line in September–October.
Operated in the Hürtgen Forest in November. Shifted to the Ardennes sector
with the 28th Infantry Division in late November, where located at start of
German offensive in December. Shifted south to Colmar area in January 1945,
where the 28th Infantry Division operated under French control. Returned
north in mid-February only to redeploy south to the Saar region in mid-March,
after which the battalion converted to the M36. Participated in the
elimination of the Ruhr Pocket in April. Took up occupation duties at
Zweibrücken on 28 April. Attached to: 17th Airborne Division; 13th Armored
Division; 28th Infantry Division.

631st(M10)

Activated 15
December 1941 at Camp Blanding, Florida. Reorganized as a towed battalion in
December 1943. Arrived at Gourock, Scotland, on 5 August 1944 and at Utah
Beach on 31 August. Performed rear-area duties in France, Luxembourg, and
Germany for the duration of the campaign as part of Third Army.

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632nd(M10)
Pacific

Established 15
December 1941 at Camp Livingston, LA from personnel of the 32nd Infantry
Division. Originally a Light Towed Battalion, they shipped from San
Francisco, port of embarkation on May. 12, 1942 and arrived in Australia on May
12, 1942. Landed New Guinea on Oct 28, 1943. Landed Philippines on Oct.
20, 1944. The 632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion was, essentially, treated as
an organic unit of the 32nd Division. It went to Australia with the 32nd
Division. It fought with the 32nd at Aitape and Saidor. It went into the
battle for Leyte with the 1st Cavalry Division, but later joined the 32nd on
Leyte. On Luzon it was initially attached to the 13th Armored Group but
subsequently served with 37th, 44th and 32nd Divisions on Luzon. Unit was
deactivated at Camp Stoneman, CA on Jan. 1, 1946.

The 634th TD Battalion,
equipped with M10 3in. GMC, served with the lst Infantry Division from the
beginning of August 1944 until the end of the war in Europe, seeing fighting in
most of the major engagements of the war including the Normandy battles and the
Battle of the Bulge.

Activated at
Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, on 16 December 1941. Arrived in England on 10 January
1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 30 June equipped with M10s. Committed to battle on
10 July near Carentan. Participated in Cobra breakout in late July; widely
separated elements helped capture Mayenne and defeat Mortain counteroffensive in
early August. Raced east to Mons, Belgium. Supported operations against
Siegfried Line and capture of Aachen, Germany, in October. Fought in Hürtgen
Forest in November. Moved to Belgium in December, only to race south to Ardennes
in late December. Crossed Roer River on 25 February 1945. Pushed to Rhine River
at Bonn by 9 March. Crossed river at Remagen on 15 March and supported
envelopment of the Ruhr Pocket. Drove east to Harz Mountains in early April.
Drove 200 miles to Czechoslovak border by 28 April. Attached to: 1st, 4th, 83d
Infantry divisions.

635th(M10)

The 635th TD Battalion was a
towed battalion deployed with the ist Infantry Division in Normandy from June 7
until the end of September, and later served with the 71st Division from
mid-March 1945 until the end of the war. It was one of a handful of battalions
that retained the towed configuration through the campaign.

Additional information,

Established 15 December 1941 at Camp Robertson, Arkansas, from the 35th Infantry
Division Antitank Battalion (Provisional).
Arrived Liverpool, England, on 9 February 1944. Landed at Omaha Beach on 8 June.
Advanced through northern France and Belgium. Operated in Roetgen-Aachen sector
and Hürtgen Forest during autumn. Transferred to Belgium on 22 December during
Battle of the Bulge. Returned to Aachen area in January and supported drive
toward Rhine River near Cologne. Transferred to Seventh Army and again almost
immediately to Third Army on 1 April 1945. Crossed Rhine at Mannheim and
advanced through central Germany to Austria. Supported: 1st, 71st Infantry
divisions; 4th Cavalry Group.

636th(M10, also served in Tunisia
and Italy)

The 636th TD Battalion
deployed with the 36th Division and remained with the division until the end of
the war, except for some short interludes when elements of the battalion
supported the 45th Division in October 1944, and the 13th Armored Division
during late March and April 1945.

Sergeant Les Leggett.

Les Legget began his military career with the Texas National Guard in 1940,
eventually earning his Sergeant’s stripes as a member of the 36th Infantry
Division 636th Tank Destroyer Battalion’s Reconnaissance Company.
Les Leggett saw action on the beaches of Salerno, the Bernhard Line at San
Pietro, the Gustav Line at the Rapido River, and Cassino, before going ashore
two days after the assault at Anzio.
Leggett’s platoon later stormed the beaches near Nice in Southern France in
operation Dragoon. Elements of the 36th charged 300 miles through France in just
26 days, crossed the Rhine and Danube Rivers, and then fought their way into
Northern Austria, where they were stationed when the war ended.
Along the way Leggett was wounded by shell fragments, buzzed by a pair of German
ME-109s in farm country, ran headlong into a German convoy in woods, and tumbled
down a steep mountain embankment when the road gave way under his jeep.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Camp Bowie, Texas. Arrived at Oran, Algeria,
on 13 April 1943. Landed at Paestum, Italy, beginning 13 September 1943.
Elements performed artillery missions, guarded Fifth Army CP, and trained
British troops on M10 and TD doctrine in October and November. Reentered
line in Mignano sector in late November, where supported assault on San
Pietro. Supported Rapido River crossing in January 1944. Entered Cassino
sector in February. Transferred to Anzio beachhead in May. Entered Rome on 4
June. Landed in southern France on 15 August. First unit to enter Lyon and
to reach the Moselle River in September. Engaged in the Vosges Mountain
region beginning in October. Relieved 601st TD Battalion in Strasbourg in
December. Battled German Northwind offensive in January and February 1945.
Converted to M36 beginning late February. Struck Siegfried Line near
Wissembourg in late March. Crossed Rhine with 14th Armored Division in
April, dashed toward Nürnberg. Ended war in southern Bavaria near Tegernsee.
Attached to: 14th Armored Division; 36th Infantry Division.

637th(M18)Pacific

Established
December 19, 1941 at Camp Shelby, MS from personnel of the 37nd Infantry
Division. Originally a Light Towed Battalion, they shipped from San
Francisco, port of embarkation on May. 12, 1942 and arrived in Australia on May
26, 1942. Arrived Fiji Islands on June 28, 1942. Unit was attached to the
11th Airborne Div., 1st Cavalry and 37th Infantry Div. Inactivated in Japan
on Jan. 25th 1946.

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638th(M18)

The 638th TD Battalion,
equipped with the M18 76mm GMC, deployed with the 84th Division at the beginning
of December 1944, and took part in the subsequent Ardennes fighting. It remained
with the division until the end of the war.

Additional information,

Established 15
December 1941 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Arrived at Cherbourg, France, 7
September 1944 equipped with M18s. Entered the line near Prummern on 20
November and supported operations against the Siegfried Line. Shifted to the
Ardennes sector around Rochefort, Belgium, on 22 December. Fought to reduce
the Bulge during January 1945. Supported Roer River crossing in February.
Crossed the Rhine River on 1 April. Advanced across Germany and reached the
Elbe River near Wittenberg on 24 April. Attached to: 84th Infantry Division.

640th(M10)Pacific

Established
December 19, 1941 at Camp San Luis Obispo, CA, from personnel of the 143rd
Field Artillery California National Guard. Originally a Light Towed
Battalion, they shipped from San Francisco, port of embarkation on Sep. 4,
1942 and arrived in Hawaii on Sep. 12, 1942. Arrived Guadalcanal on Feb. 5,
1944, New Britain on May 3, 1944 and the Philippines on Jan. 9, 1945. Unit
was attached to the 1st Cavalry, 24th, 43rd & 44th Infantry Divs. Inactivated on
Jan. 13th 1946 at Camp Anza, CA

643rd(T converted to M18 in March
'45)

The 643rd TD Battalion,
equipped with M18 76mm GMC (March'45), first supported the 82nd Airborne Division in early
January 1945 in the Ardennes and then served with the 83rd Division from the
beginning of February until the end of the war.

Redesignated from the 43rd
Infantry Division’s Antitank Battalion (Provisional) on 3 December 1941 and
activated at Camp Blanding, Florida. On 15 September Arrived at Cherbourg,
France, on 15 December 1944 equipped with towed guns. First engaged near Manhay,
Belgium, on 22 December 1944. Crossed the Roer River on 24 February 1945.
Re-equipped with M18s in March 1945, crossed the Rhine River at Wesel and the
Elbe River en route to Zerbst. Withdrawn to take up occupation duties in the
Harz Mountains.

644th(M10)

The 644th TD Battalion,
equipped with the M10 3in. GMC, served with the 8th Infantry Division from July
1944 until the end of the war, except for interludes when elements of the
battalion supported the 2nd Infantry Division in the Ardennes from December 12,
1944, to January 27, 1945, and the 99th Division from January 28 to February 8,
1945.

Tanks of the 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion, attached to the 8th
Division, enter the German City of Düren

Redesignated from the 44th
Antitank Battalion (Provisional) at Fort Dix, New Jersey, on 15 December 1941.
Arrived at Gourock, Scotland, in January 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 11 and 12
July equipped with M10s. Committed to battle south of Le Haye Du Puits with the
8th Infantry Division on 15 July. Participated in Cobra breakout beginning 26
July. Advanced into Brittany in August and helped capture Brest in early
September. Moved to Luxembourg in late September. Fought in the Hürtgen Forest
in November. Companies A and C moved to the northern Ardennes sector by early
December and participated in the Battle of the Bulge, with Company B arriving
late in the game. Joined in elimination of the Bulge in early 1945 and the Roer
River offensive in February. Reached the Rhine south of Cologne in March.
Crossed river at Remagen and supported the reduction of the Ruhr Pocket in
April. Swung eastward to the Elbe River and rolled toward the Baltic coast with
the 82d Airborne Division, stopping in Schwerin. Attached to: 82d Airborne
Division; 3d Armored Division; 1st, 2d, 8th, 9th, 86th, 99th, 104th Infantry
divisions; 102d Cavalry Group.

645th(M36, also served in
Italy with M10)

The 645th TD Battalion served
during the North Africa and Sicily campaigns, and deployed from Italy with the
45th Division in southern France, serving with it until the end of March 1945,
except for a few weeks with the 42nd Division in late February and a few days in
late March with the 75th Division. It began with the M10, but was completely
reequipped with the M36 by January 1945.

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Camp Barkely, Texas. Battalion arrived in
Algeria on 27 May 1943. Landed at Paestum, Italy, on 9 September 1943.
Participated in drive up the Italian peninsula, then shifted to Anzio beachhead
in February 1944. Withdrawn for training in June 1944 to participate in
Operation Dragoon. Landed on 15 August in southern France. Advanced to Vosges
Mountains near Grandvillers by October. Joined assault on Siegfried Line in
December near Bobenthal, Germany. Fought German Nordwind offensive in January
1945. Converted to M36 beginning late January. Attacked Siegfried Line again
south of Sarreguemines in March, crossed the Rhine at Worms on 25 March. Helped
reduce Nazi stand at Aschaffenburg at month’s end and capture Nürnberg in
mid-April. Reached Munich on 29 April. Attached to: 36th, 45th Infantry
divisions.

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648th(T)

The 648th TD Battalion served
with the 70th Division from February 20, 1945, until the end of March and in
April 1945 supported the 86th Division. It did not convert from towed to
self-propelled until after the end of the war.

Additional information,

Activated on 6
March 1943 at Camp Bowie, Texas. Converted to a towed battalion in March 1944.
Arrived in the United Kingdom by 19 December 1944. Committed to battle near
Luneville, France, in February 1945. Began conversion to M18s in early April
while near Landstuhl, Germany. Ended war in vicinity of Ingolstadt. Attached to:
36th, 70th, 86th Infantry divisions.

654th(M36)

The 654th TD Battalion
supported the 35th Division for most of the fighting in Europe, except for
December 22-25 when it supported the 5th Infantry Division. It was initially
equipped with the M10 3in. GMC and subsequently with the M36.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia. Disembarked at Omaha
Beach on 11 July 1944 with M10s. Committed to battle on 12 July near Fallot,
France. Fought at Mortain in August, then advanced across France toward
Nancy. Fought along border and crossed the Saar River in early December.
Deployed to the Ardennes sector on 21 December. Shifted back south to Metz
region in January 1945. Returned to Belgium in February and converted to the
M36. Participated in the offensive across the Roer River and then across the
Rhine on 24 March. Advanced to Tangerhutte and remained there until taking
on military government duties in early May. Attached to: 5th, 30th, 35th,
75th Infantry divisions.

Activated on 3 April 1943 at Camp Bowie, Texas. Arrived in England in
December 1944. Disembarked at Le Havre, France, on 6 February 1945
equipped with M18s. Entered the line near Friesenrath, Germany, on 28
February. Pushed toward Rhine River at Remagen and crossed into
bridgehead beginning 7 March. Converted to the M36 late that month.
Supported 9th Armored Division sweep to help encircle the Ruhr in early
April and then dashed eastward to the Mulde River. Turned south and
entered Czechoslovakia near St. Sedlo on 6 May. Attached to: 9th Armored
Division; 78th Infantry Division.

661st(M18)

Activated on 17
April 1943 at Camp Bowie, Texas. Arrived at Le Havre, France, on 21
January 1945 equipped with M18s. Committed to battle at
Rocherath-Krinkelt, Belgium, on 16 February 1945. Fought along the
Siegfried Line near Helenthal, Germany, in March. Crossed the Rhine
on 27 March and advanced across Germany to Leipzig by 17 April,
where the men saw their last fighting. Attached to: 28th, 69th,
106th Infantry divisions.

Activated on
Jun. 12, 1943 at Camp Hood, TX. Unit shipped from Seattle post of
embarkation on Dec. 28, 1944, landing on Hawaii on Jan. 5, 1945. Shipped to
Philippines in July of 1945 preparing for invasion of Japan. Returned to
U.S. via Los Angeles port on Jan. 16, 1946. Unit was deactivated on Jan.
17, 1946 at Camp Anza, CA.

679th (T)

Activated on 26 June 1943 at Camp Hood, Texas, as one of several battalions
with black enlisted personnel and mostly white officers. Converted to a
towed battalion on 14 July. Disembarked at Le Havre, France, on 21 January
1945, then re-embarked at Marseilles on 1 March for transfer to Italy.
Entered the line in IV Corps sector on 17 March. Supported assault on La
Spezia in April and advanced to Genoa by early May. Attached to: 92d
Infantry Division.

691st(M36)

The 691st TD Battalion was
deployed as a towed AT gun battalion. It first supported the 35th Division on
September 5-9, 1944, the 80th Division on September 16-18, and the 26th Division
from mid-October until early December 1944. During the Battle of the Bulge it
was attached to the 6th Armored Division during the middle of December, and then
to the 87th Division at the end of the month. It served with the 76th Division
from late January through February 1945, the 65th Division through most of March
and was partly reequipped in one company with the M36 90mm GMC at the end of
March 1945. It was subsequently attached to the 76th Division from early April
until the end of the war. Elements of the battalion supported the 8th Armored
Division at various times from early February to May 1945.

Additional information,

Activated on 15
December 1941 at Fort Bliss, Texas. Entered combat in September 1944 in Lorraine
equipped with towed guns. Transferred to Ardennes sector in December. Shifted
south again and joined operations in the Saar region in February and March 1945.
Converted to the M36 beginning late that month. Advanced across Germany and
reached Limbach on 24 April, where action all but ceased. Attached to: 17th
Airborne Division; 6th Armored Division; 5th, 26th, 35th, 44th, 65th, 76th,
80th, 87th Infantry divisions; 2d Cavalry Group.

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692nd(T)

The 692nd TD Battalion entered
combat with the 104th Division on October 29, 1944, during the Siegfried Line
campaign as a towed AT gun unit and
remained with the division until early March 1945. It served for most of the
remainder of the war with the 42nd Division and converted to the self-propelled
M36 GMC in early February 1945.

Additional information,

Activated on 10 April 1942 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Converted to a towed
battalion in March 1944. Arrived at Cherbourg, France, on 23 September 1944.
Entered the line near Wustwezel, Belgium, circa 28 October. Fought along the
Siegfried Line in the vicinity of Stolberg beginning in November. Occupied
defensive positions along the Roer River during the Battle of the Bulge.
Converted to the M36 in February 1945, supported the drive from the Roer to
the Rhine River in late February and early March, and helped capture
Cologne. After clearing more Siegfried Line fortifications, crossed the
Rhine at Worms on 31 March. Raced across Germany in April and participated
in the capture of Furth. Advanced to Munich by 30 April. Attached to: 42d,
63d, 104th Infantry divisions.

701st(M10)

Activated on
15 December 1941 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Attached to 1st Armored Division,
which had provided most of cadre personnel. Arrived at Belfast, Northern
Ireland, on 11 June 1942. Companies B and C and one platoon of Recon Company
participated in Operation Torch landings 8 November near Oran. Advanced
toward Tunisia beginning 16 November. Rest of battalion reached North Africa
on 10 December. Actions in Tunisia, usually attached to the 1st Armored or
1st Infantry Division, included El Guettar, Faid Pass, Sidi Bou Zid, Sbeitla,
Hill 609, and Mateur. Shipped to Italy in October 1943 and entered the line
in the Pagnataro area. TDs operated largely as artillery. For much of early
1944, the battalion was attached to II or VI Corps in Cassino sector.
Shipped to Anzio beachhead in February 1944. Supported 1st Armored Division
during breakout in late May, entered Rome on 4 June. Pushed north to the
Arno River, crossed river on 1 September, and reached Florence area. Spent
winter training and firing artillery missions. Supported 10th Mountain
Division drive into the Po River valley in April 1945. Entered Verona on 26
April. Attached to: 1st Armored Division; 1st, 3d, 9th, 34th, 45th, 88th,
92d Infantry divisions; 10th Mountain Division; British 78th Infantry
Division; Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

702nd(M36)

The 702nd TD Battalion spent
most of the European campaign attached to the 2nd Armored Division originally
with the M10 3in. GMC and later with the M36 90mm GMC.

The
“Seven O Deuce” was activated 15 December 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Equipped with T70s (M18s) before shipping to the United Kingdom, where the
battalion arrived on 25 February 1944 only to be issued M10s. Landed at Omaha
Beach on 11 June. Entered line at Livry on 2 July. Formed part of 2d Armored
Division’s spearhead during Cobra breakout in late July. Fought at Mortain,
established first contact with Canadians during encirclement of Falaise Pocket.
Entered Belgium on 5 September and crossed German border near Gangelt Fought
against Siegfried Line along Wurm River in October and November. Re-equipped
with M36s in late November. Supported drive on Roer River. Moved to Ardennes in
December. Crossed Roer River on 28 February 1945 and Rhine on 28 March.
Participated in encirclement of Ruhr Pocket, reached Weser River on 4 April.
Reached Elbe River near Magdeburg, after which took on occupation duties.
Attached to: 2d Armored Division.

703rd
(M36)

The 703rd TD Battalion spent
most of the campaign in Europe with the 3rd Armored Division except for a brief
interlude during the Battle of the Bulge when it was attached to the lst
Infantry Division in the fighting along Elsenborn Ridge. It was originally
equipped with the M10 3in. GMC and reequipped with the M36 90mm GMC by the end
of the campaign.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December at Camp Polk, Louisiana. Landed in France on 1 July
1944. Saw first action near Hautes Vents on 13 July. Participated in Cobra
breakout at end of month. Held in reserve during Mortain battle in August.
Crossed the River Seine on 26 August, reached the Siegfried Line in the vicinity
of Eschweiler, Germany, by 12 September. First battalion converted to M36s
beginning 30 September. Fought along West Wall until mid-December, when
transferred to Ardennes after launch of German offensive. Fought to reduce the
Bulge in January 1945 and joined drive to Cologne in February and early March.
Crossed Rhine River on 23 March near Honnef and participated in envelopment of
the Ruhr. Slashed east to stop line at Dessau by 14 April. Attached to: 82d
Airborne Division; 3d Armored Division; 1st Infantry Division.

704th(M18)

The 704th TD Battalion was one
of the first M18 battalions to see service and it entered combat with the 4th
Armored Division during Operation Cobra in July 1944. It remained with the 4th
Armored Division, except for some brief attachments to the 87th Division in
mid-December 1944 and the 94th Division in January-March 1945. It received a
handful of M36s shortly before the end of the war.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Camp Pine, New York. Arrived in the United
Kingdom by April 1944. First battalion in the ETO to receive M18s, which
occurred in May. Landed at Utah Beach on 13 July. Participated in Cobra
breakout at end of month, advanced into Brittany. Raced east across France,
passing north of Orleans, and crossed the Moselled River to Luneville in
early September and remained in the general area through October. Fought in
Morhange region in November and crossed the Saar River by month’s end.
Deployed to Ardennes on 19 December. Fought around Bastogne in January 1945,
then moved back south. Advanced into Germany near Sinz in February, fighting
through Siegfried Line and into the Saar-Moselle triangle. Supported drive
to Bitburg in March and reached Rhine by mid-month. Crossed the river on 24
March at Nierstein. Roared east to Gotha by 4 April, passed through Harz
Mountains to Bayreuth in late April. Entered Czechoslovakia at Volyne on 6
May. Attached to: 101st Airborne Division; 4th Armored Division; 26th, 87th,
94th Infantry divisions; 6th Cavalry Group.

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705th(M18)

The 705th TD Battalion was
equipped with M18 76mm GMC and first supported the 95th Division in mid-October
1944. During the Battle of the Bulge, it supported the l0lst Airborne Division
during the defense of Bastogne, and became famous for its efforts in defeating
the attacks of the German 15th Pz.Gren. Division over Christmas. In late
February, it was attached to the l lth Armored Division and remained with it
until the end of the war. It received a handful of M36s shortly before the end
of the war.

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Arrived at Gourock,
Scotland, on 27 April 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 18 July equipped with
M18s. Joined Cobra breakout and swept through Brittany to Brest in late July
and early August. Helped clear Crozon Peninsula into September. Moved across
France in October to Moselle River. Advanced to German border at Kitzing in
mid-November. Shifted north to Aachen area in early December. Moved to
Bastogne, where TDs participated in famous defense by 101st Airborne
Division. Supported drive to Rhine River in March 1945. Crossed river on 29
March at Oppenheim. Conducted drive across Germany through Bayreuth in
April, arriving in Neukirchen, Austria, by 6 May. Attached to: Task Force A;
101st Airborne Division; 11th Armored Division; 29th, 83d, 95th Infantry
divisions.

771st(M36)

The 771st TD Battalion
supported the 77th Division in late September 1944, and was attached to the
102nd Division from early November for most of the rest of the war aside from
some interludes with the l lth Cavalry Group. It was originally equipped with
the M10 3in. GMC and later with the M36 90mm GMC.

Additional information,

Activated on
15 December 1941 at Ft. Ethan Allen, Vermont. Arrived at Glamorganshire,
Wales, on 1 January 1944 and shipped to France in late September equipped
with M10s. Entered combat with the 102d Infantry Division against the
Siegfried Line defenses along the Würm River on 3 November. Participated in
the drive to the Roer River and held defensive positions there during
December. Converted to the M36 in January 1945. Supported drive toward Rhine
River in February. Crossed the Rhine beginning 31 March and joined the 102d
Infantry Division’s drive across Germany to the Elbe River, reaching same on
14 April. Spent remainder of the war helping to mop up bypassed pockets of
resistance between the Rhine and the Elbe. Attached to: 5th Armored Division;
102d Infantry Division; 11th Cavalry Group.

772nd(T)

The 772nd TD Battalion was a
towed 3in. AT gun unit and deployed in support of the 83rd Division on December
22 during the Battle of the Bulge, until being transferred to the 75th Division
where it remained for most of the rest of the war. It was reequipped with the
M36 by the end of the campaign.

Additional information,

Activated on 16 December 1941. Entered the line near Birgel, Germany, on 22
December 1944. Fought in Belgium in January 1945, then shifted south to
Seventh Army’s sector along the Rhine in February. Converted to the M36
beginning in late March. Supported operations against the Ruhr Pocket in
April and then took on military government duties. Attached to: 30th, 75th,
83d, 106th Infantry divisions.

773rd(M36)

The 773rd TD Battalion,
equipped with M10 3in. GMC, supported the 79th Division starting in early
September 1944 during the fighting on the French/Belgian border, the 95th
Division starting in late October 1944, and finally the 90th Division from the
beginning of November until the end of the war. It retained the M10 through the
campaign, but received a handful of M36s shortly before the end of the war.

A snow camouflaged M10 from the 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December 1941 from the 73d Provisional Antitank Battalion, which
had been formed from Louisiana and Pennsylvania National Guard units in July.
Arrived at Gourock, Scotland, on 7 February 1944. Landed at Utah and Omaha
beaches on 8 August equipped with M10s. Caught up with spearheads and saw first
real action at Le Bourg St. Leonard beginning 17 August during envelopment of
Falaise Pocket. Advanced to Moselle River sector via Paris. Fought at Luneville
and the Foret de Parroy. Supported capture of Metz in November. Joined
operations against Siegfried Line along the Saar in December, ordered to the
Ardennes on 6 January 1945. Fought through Siegfried Line in February. Reached
the Rhine at Koblenz on 16 March. Crossed the Rhine 23–24 March at Oppenheim.
Helped capture Darmstadt and Frankfurt before driving across Germany to
Czechoslovakia beginning 1 April. Cleared Czechoslovak-German border area
southward and ended war near Petrovice. Attached to: 6th Armored Division; 79th,
90th, 95th Infantry divisions

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774th
(M36)

The 774th TD Battalion was a
towed AT gun unit and supported the 5th Infantry Division starting in
mid-September 1944 near Metz, the 95th Division in late October, and then
returned to support the 5th Infantry Division for most of November. During the
fighting in the Ardennes, it supported the 90th Division from December 21 until
early January and then was attached to the 94th Division from early January
until the end of the war. It was reequipped with the M36 90mm GMC in late
January 1945.

Additional information,

Activated on 15 December 1941 at Camp Blanding, Florida. Converted to a
towed battalion before arriving at Gourock, Scotland, on 12 June 1944.
Debarked at Utah Beach on 7 August. Joined fighting around Argentan. Ran
eastward across France to Lorraine as part of a cavalry screen and the 7th
Armored Division. Participated in fighting around Metz starting in
September. Fought along the Saar in December and then joined rush north to
the Ardennes. Converted to the M36 in late February 1945. Drove to the Rhine
in March. Held Rhine west of the Ruhr Pocket in April, then took on military
government duties. Attached to: 7th Armored Division; 5th, 80th, 90th, 94th,
95th Infantry divisions; 43d Cavalry Group.

776th (M36, also served in Tunisia and Italy with
M10)

The 776th TD Battalion served
in North Africa and Italy, and was shipped to France in October 1944. It
supported the 44th Division from November along the Maginot Line through the end
of the war, except for some attachments to the 63rd Division in late March 1945
and the 4th Infantry Division in mid-April. It was originally equipped with the
M10 3in. GMC and was reequipped with the M36 90mm GMC by November 1944.

On
21 December 1941, a provisional antitank battalion of the 76th Field Artillery
Brigade was activated as the 776th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Issued M10s while
still in the States. Arrived Casablanca, Morocco, 25 January 1943. Fought in
area of Maknassy and Ferryville, Tunisia. Eighteen enlisted men participated in
Sicily campaign as radio operators and military police. Debarked vicinity of
Cappaci, Italy, beginning 19 September 1943. Main body committed near Rotondi 10
October 1943, where it supported the Volturno River crossing. Supported Rapido
River crossing and fought near Cassino and in January–March 1944. Joined
breakthrough of Hitler Line May 1944, entered Rome 4 June, and joined drive to
Arno River. Transferred to southern France in September–October 1944, during
which drew M36s. Moved into line near Luneville on 30 October 1944. Supported
French 2d Armored Division advance to Strasbourg in November. Battled German
Nordwind offensive around Rimling, France, in January 1945, where claimed first
Jagdtiger destroyed on Western front. Attacked Siegfried Line near Omersheim,
Germany, and crossed Rhine River near Worms in March 1945. Aided capture of
Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Ulm, Germany, and crossed Danube in April 1945. Ended
war in Ehrwald, Austria. Attached to: 1st Armored Division; 4th, 34th, 44th,
63d, 85th, 100th Infantry divisions.

801st(T)

The 801st TD Battalion
equipped with the towed 3in. gun, supported the 4th Infantry Division from June
13 through early November, the 99th Division until early February, the 30th
Division in late February and the 83rd Division through mid-April 1945. It was
partly reequipped with the M18 76mm GMC in late March 1945 while in the Harz
Mountains.

M20 Armored Car with Commander, Company "A" 801st TD BN.

Infantry hitch a ride on a M10 of the 801st Tank
Destroyer

Additional information,

As 101st New
York National Guard Antitank Battalion was federalized on 6 January 1941 and
redesignated 801st Tank Destroyer Battalion on 15 December. Arrived in England
as a towed battalion 11 March 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 13 June and
participated in capture of Cherbourg. Fought at Mortain in early August, reached
outskirts of Paris on 25 August. Entered Belgium on 8 September and Germany on
12 September. Supported operations in Hürtgen Forest beginning late November. On
the line in Ardennes when German offensive struck on 16 December. Moved to
Aachen, Germany, in February 1945. Crossed Roer River on 25 February and reached
Rhine south of Düsseldorf. Crossed Rhine near Wessel on 29 March and supported
drive to the Ruhr and then east to the Elbe River. Transferred south and
supported operations in Harz Mountains in late April. Converted to M18s in late
April. Crossed Danube and reached Inn River outside Hitler’s birthplace—Brunnau,
Austria—by VE Day. Attached to: 2d, 13th Armored divisions; 2d, 4th, 9th, 83d,
99th Infantry divisions.

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802nd(T)

The 802nd TD Battalion began
as a towed AT gun unit and deployed with the 83rd Division in Normandy in early
July 1944, remaining in support of the unit until early December. It supported
the 4th Infantry Division on the southem shoulder of the Ardennes front through
Christmas. It was attached to the 80th Division in late January and the 95th
Division in early February, remaining with the 95th through most of the rest of
the fighting. It was reequipped with tbc M36 90mm GMC in early March 1945.

Additional information,

The New York National Guard’s 102d Antitank Battalion was federalized on 13
January 1941 and converted into the 802d Tank Destroyer Battalion on 15 December
at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Disembarked in France on 1 July 1944 as a towed
battalion. Entered battle near Carentan on 4 July. Advanced into Brittany in
August and supported attack on St. Malo in August. Crossed France and entered
Luxembourg on 23 September. Supported operations against Siegfried Line through
November. Participated in Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg in late December.
Converted to M36s in February–March 1945. Crossed Rhine River at Wessel on 2
April. Joined elimination of Ruhr Pocket, after which took on occupation duties.
Attached to: 4th, 80th, 83d, 95th Infantry divisions.

803rd(M36)

The 803rd TD Battalion served
with the 3rd Armored Division during the Normandy fighting in June and July
1944, before deploying for a few weeks with the troubled 90th Division in early
July and the 28th Division in late July 1944. It supported the 4th Infantry
Division on the southern Ardennes front from early November until Christmas, and
was attached to the Sth Infantry Division from Christmas until the end of the
war. It was originally equipped with the M10 3in. GMC and later with the M36
90mm GMC.

Additional information,

Initially
activated as the 103d Antitank Battalion on 30 September 1940 from
Washington National Guard troops, federalized on 10 February 1941, and
redesignated 803d Tank Destroyer Battalion on 12 December 1941. Departed for
England on 24 June 1943. Landed at Omaha Beach on 13 June 1944 equipped with
M10s. Helped capture St. Lô in July. Raced across northern France in August
and passed through Belgium and Holland before reaching the Siegfried Line in
September. Supported operations north of Aachen in October, transferred to
Hürtgen Forest. Shifted to Ardennes just before German offensive began in
December. Committed against Siegfried Line again in early 1945. Converted to
the M36 in February. Participated in capture of Trier, crossed Rhine River
on 23 March at Oppenheim. Joined elimination of Ruhr Pocket in April, then
pivoted and marched southeast through Austria and into Czechoslovakia.
Attached to: 82d Airborne Division; 3d Armored Division; 2d, 5th, 8th, 29th,
30th Infantry divisions; 1st Belgian Brigade.

804th(M10, also served in
Tunisia)

Converted in
January from the 104th Infantry Antitank Battalion, 45th Infantry Division, at
Camp San Luis Obispo, California. Arrived Belfast, Ireland, on 17 August 1942
and at Oran, Algeria, on 1 February 1943. Trained French troops on M10s in North
Africa; only battalion observers went to front. Landed at Naples, Italy, on 8
February 1944, and moved Gustav Line along Garigliano River by 9 March. Entered
Rome on 4 June. Carried doughs into Livorno on 18 July. Crossed Arno River in
September, then supported attack on Gothic Line through October. Broke into Po
River Valley in April 1945, crossed Po River on 27 April. Company C part of
column that linked up with U.S. Seventh Army troops in Brenner Pass on 5 May.
Attached to: 34th, 85th, 88th, 91st Infantry divisions.

805th(T, also served in Tunisia with
M3)

105th Antitank
Battalion redesignated 805th Tank Destroyer Battalion on 15 December 1941.
Arrived in England 18 August 1942. Landed at Algiers 17 January 1943.
Actions included Kasserine Pass and Gafsa. Converted to towed 3-inch gun
battalion in October 1943. Debarked in Italy 28 October 1943 at Bagnoli.
Shipped to Anzio beachhead 12 March 1944. Served largely as artillery even
after re-equipped with M18s in June–August. TDs were part of advance guard
at capture of Bologna and Brenner Pass. Attached to: 34th, 85th, 91st
Infantry divisions.

The 807th TD Battalion was a
towed AT gun unit and first supported the 83rd Division in late September and
early October 1944. It was attached to the 5th Division in early December and
the 90th Division in late December 1944 during the Ardennes fighting. The
battalion was deployed with the l0lst Airborne Division for a month starting in
late January 1945, and was then deployed in a succession of short assignments
with the 35th Division in early March, the 30th and 75th Divisions in late March,
and the 86th Division from late April until the end of the war. It began
receiving the M18 shortly before the end of the campaign but was not fully
reequipped.

Additional information,

Activated1 March 1942 at Camp Cooke, California. Arrived Liverpool,
England, on 23 August 1944 and at Utah Beach on 18 September. Fought in Metz
sector from September to November. Attacked toward Saarlautern in November and
December. Battled German Nordwind offensive in January 1945. Shifted north for
offensive to the Rhine in March. Defended Rhine River bridges in April and
converted to the M18 in time to join the drive through Bavaria late in the month.
Reached vicinity of Salzburg, Austria, in early May. Attached to: 101st Airborne
Division; 5th, 30th, 35th, 75th, 83d, 86th, 90th, 95th, 100th Infantry divisions;
3d Cavalry Group.

808th(M36)

The 808th TD Battalion served
with the 80th Division from late September through Christmas in a towed AT gun
configuration. It converted to M36 90mm GMC in late January 1945. It supported
the 76th Division during March 1945 and was attached to the 65th Division from
April 5 until the end of the war.

Additional information,

Activated27 March 1942 at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas. Reorganized
as a towed battalion in May 1943. Disembarked at Utah Beach on 19 September
1944. Entered the line east of the Moselle River six days later, where it
remained until transferring to the Ardennes on 21 December. Protected XII Corps
flank through January 1945. Converted to the M36 in February. Supported drive to
the Rhine in March and the river crossings south of Boppard late in the month.
Joined Third Army’s drive through Erfurt, Nürnberg, and south into Bavaria.
Advanced to Linz, Austria, in early May. Attached to: 5th, 65th, 76th, 80th
Infantry divisions; 2d, 6th Cavalry groups.

809th
(M36)

The 809th TD Battalion was
equipped with M18 76mm GMC and served from February 9 until the end of the war
with the 8th Armored Division, except for some assignments with the 79th
Division in late March and the 95th Division in early April. It received a small
number of M36s towards the end of the campaign.

Additional information,

Activated18 March 1942 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. Arrived at Liverpool,
England, on 8 December 1944 and Le Havre, France, on 20 January 1945 equipped
with M18s. Supported Roer River crossing in late February 1945. Crossed the
Rhine on 27 March. Supported operations against the Ruhr Pocket in April and
converted to the M36 that same month. Helped clear the Harz mountains in late
April. Attached to: 8th Armored Division; 79th, 95th Infantry divisions.

811th(M18)

The 811th TD Battalion was
equipped with the M18 76mm GMC and first deployed with the 9th Armored Division
in November 1944. It served with the division during the Battle of the Bulge and
was transferred to support the 17th Airborne Division during the final two weeks
of fighting in the Ardennes in January 1945. It was subsequently attached to the
llth Armored Division in early February before being attached to the 80th
Division where it remained for most of the rest of the war.

Additional information,

Activated10 April 1942 at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Arrived at Cherbourg,
France, on 15 September 1944 equipped with M18s. Moved to Luxembourg in November
and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in December. The battalion was
scattered widely and pieces attached to many divisions into January 1945.
Supported operations against the Siegfried Line in February and early March.
Advanced to the Rhine in late March and crossed river on 30 March. Supported
80th Infantry Division in capture of Kassel and advance to Erfurt and Chemnitz
in April. Moved south and crossed Danube River to Regensburg. Entered Austria on
5 May. Attached to: 17th, 101st Airborne divisions; 4th, 9th, 11th Armored
divisions; 28th, 78th, 80th, 87th, 89th Infantry divisions; 3d Cavalry Group.

813th(M36, also served in Tunisia and Sicily with M3 and M10)

The 813th TD Battalion served
in North Africa and first deployed with the 79th Division in Normandy on July 1,
1944, remaining with the division for most of the war, except for assignments to
the 44th Division in the last week of October 1944, and the l0lst Airborne
Division in the last few days of the war in May 1945. It was originally equipped
with the M10 3in. GMC and later with the M36 90mm GMC.

Additional information,

Activated15 December 1941 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Arrived in North Africa
on 17 January 1943, where it supported British, French, and American troops
in Tunisia. Re-equipped with M10s after end of hostilities. The battalion
sent six officers and 400 men to Sicily to handle POWs. Two platoons served
briefly in southern Italy before battalion sailed to the United Kingdom in
November 1943. Disembarked at Utah Beach on 27 June 1944. Joined drive to Le
Mans and then north to Alencon at Falaise Gap. Was first armored unit to
cross the Seine River. Entered Belgium 2 September 1944. Moved south and
fought around the Foret de Parroy in October. Supported advance to
Strasbourg in November, where Recon Company actually preceded 2d French
Armored Division to within one mile of Rhine. Battled German Nordwind
offensive in January 1945, partially re-equipped with M18s after heavy
losses. Shifted to Belgium in February, re-equipped again with M36s. Crossed
Rhine River 24 March, participated in reduction of Ruhr Pocket. Conducted
long roadmarch south to Ulm. Took on military government duties in early May.
Attached to: 44th, 79th, 84th Infantry divisions; 106th Cavalry Group.

814th(M36)

The 814th TD Battalion served
with the 7th Armored Division starting in mid-August 1944 and remained with it,
except for some short assignments to the 75th Division in the first week of
January 1945 and the 99th Division in the second week of February 1945. It was
originally equipped with the M10 3in. GMC and later with the M36 90mm GMC.

Activated by 1 May 1942 at Camp Polk, Louisiana. Arrived at Greenock, Scotland,
in February 1944. Landed at Utah Beach beginning 8 August equipped with M10s.
Raced across France in August and participated in fighting around Metz in
September. Transferred to Peel Marshes in Holland in late September. Began
re-equipping with M36s in October, then supported Ninth Army’s drive toward the
Roer River in November. Transferred with 7th Armored Division to the Ardennes on
17 December and participated in the defense of St. Vith. Supported operations
against the West Wall in February 1945. Crossed the Rhine River at Remagen on 23
March. Helped reduce the Ruhr Pocket in April. Drove east to the Elbe River and
crossed, reaching the Baltic coast on 3 May. Attached: 7th Armored Division;
113th Cavalry Group.

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817th(T)

The 817th TD Battalion was
equipped with the M18 76mm GMC and first deployed with the 78th Division in
early December 1944 along the Siegfried Line. It supported the 8th Infantry
Division for most of December 1944 through early February and subsequently the
99th Division in late February and the 104th Division in April and May 1945.

Additionel information,

Activated on 1 June 1942 at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas. Converted to a towed
battalion in June 1943. Arrived at Greenock, Scotland, on 31 July 1944 and
landed at Utah Beach on 25 August. Took up rear-area security duties in France
and Belgium. Entered battle in the Hürtgen Forest with the 8th Infantry Division
on 9 December. Shifted to Ardennes in February 1945 and then back to Roer River
sector to fire as artillery. Participated in advance to Rhine River with the
cavalry. Crossed river at Remagen on 15 March—the only towed TD battalion to
enter the bridgehead. Began conversion to M18s on 26 March. Joined the 104th
Infantry Division at the Ruhr Pocket in April. Two companies joined the drive
eastward from Marburg in mid-April, fighting in the Harz Mountains. Helped
capture Halle and advanced to the Mulde River, where offensive operations ceased.
Attached to: 8th, 9th, 78th, 99th, 104th Infantry divisions; 4th, 14th Cavalry
groups

818th(M36)

The 818th TD Battalion
deployed with the 5th Infantry Division on July 13 and remained with the
division until late December, when it was attached to the 26th Division for the
duration of the war. It was originally equipped with the M10 3in. GMC and later
with the M36 90mm GMC.

Additional information,

Activated on
15 December 1941 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Arrived in North Ireland on 1
November 1943. Landed in France on D+36 with towed guns. Advanced across
France during August and September to the area of Metz. Supported operations
along the Saar until December, when transferred to the Ardennes sector.
Participated in race across Germany beginning in March 1945. Converted to
M36s prior to mid-April. Ended the war in Kienberg, Czechoslovakia. Attached
to: 5th, 26th Infantry divisions.

819th(M10)Pacific

Activated on June 1, 1942 at Camp Chaffee, AR as a Heavy Self-Propelled unit.
Shipped from San Francisco port of embarkation on Mar. 15, 1944 and landed in
Hawaii on Mar. 21, 1944. Landed Palau on Feb. 1, 1945.

820th(T)

The 820th TD Battalion was a
towed 3in. AT gun unit and deployed with the ill-fated 106th Division that was
overrun in the opening phase of the Battle of the Bulge near St. Vith. Surviving
elements of the battalion retreated with the 7th Armored Division and served in
the later fighting against the 2nd SS-Panzer Corps. It was reequipped with M18
tank destroyers in March 1945. The battalion was attached to the 97th Division
in late April and remained with it until the end of the war a few weeks later.

Activated on 25 June 1942 at Camp Swift, Texas. Arrived Liverpool, England, on
15 October 1944 and at Omaha Beach with towed guns two days later. Moved to the
Ardennes sector in early December, where the battalion was deployed with the
106th Infantry Division in the path of the German offensive. Converted to M18s
in early 1945. Supported operations in the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945. Crossed
Germany to Mesto Touskov area in Czechoslovakia by early May. Attached to: 13th
Armored Division; 97th, 106th Infantry divisions.

821st(M10)

The 821st TD Battalion
deployed in Normandy as a towed AT gun unit and supported the 35th Division in
the July fighting. The battalion was reorganized as a self-propelled battaIíon
in late December 1944 with the M10.

Activated on 25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, Colorado. Arrived in England 17 April
1944. Disembarked at Omaha Beach 26 June with towed 3-inch guns. Supported
capture of St. Lô and subsequent breakout. Entered Brittany in August, supported
capture of Brest by 18 September. Moved east in late September to Holland.
Conducted operations against Siegfried Line in October near Aachen, Germany.
Transferred to Ubach, Germany, in November and supported drive toward Roer River.
Converted to M10s beginning in December. Crossed Roer beginning 23 February
1945. Withdrawn from line during March. Company B supported operations against
Ruhr Pocket in April. Battalion then marched east to Elbe River. Took up
occupation duties on 27 April. Attached to: 29th, 35th Infantry divisions.

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822nd
(T)

The 822nd TD Battalion was
equipped with towed AT guns and first deployed with the 63rd Division on
February 6, 1945, along the Saar River. It served with the division until the
end of the war. It was reequipped with the M18 76mm GMC in mid-April 1945.

Additional information,

Activated on
25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, Colorado. Arrived at Le Havre, France, on 23
January 1945 with towed guns. Entered line with 63d Infantry Division near
Sarreguemines on 7 February. Crossed Rhine River on 27 March and reached
Heidelberg on 1 April. Reorganized as self-propelled battalion in mid-April,
although the battalion possessed some M18s by late March. Advanced across
Germany, reached Munsterhausen on 27 April, and took up occupation duties.
Attached to: 36th, 63d Infantry divisions.

823rd(M10)

The 823rd TD Battalion was
equipped with towed 3in. anti-tank guns and first deployed in support of the
30th Division in late June, fighting in support of the division in the critical
battles including the defense of Mortain in July 1944. The battalion was
reorganized with the M10 3in. GMC in mid-December 1944.

Infantry from the 30th Infantry Division (Old Hickory) mount up on
an M10 Tank of the 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion.

Additional information,

Activated on 25 July 1942 at Camp Carson, Colorado. Arrived in England in April
1944. Landed at Omaha beach on 24 June with towed 3-inch guns. Supported drive
on St. Lô. Fought at Mortain in August. Passed through Belgium and Holland, and
entered Germany on 17 September. Fought along Siegfried Line in October,
including encirclement of Aachen. Converted to M10s beginning in November.
Shifted to the Ardennes in late December and fought to eliminate the Bulge in
January 1945. Crossed Roer River on 24 February and Rhine on 24 March. Raced
eastward to Elbe River at Magdeburg in April. Began military occupation duties
on 21 April. Attached to: 29th, 30th Infantry divisions.

824th(T)

The 824th TD Battalion
deployed with the 100th Division as a towed unit on November 26 during the
Vosges fighting and remained with it until late April. It was reequipped with
the M18 76mm GMC in mid-March 1944. It was attached to the 103rd Division on
April 24, remaining with it for the last two weeks of the war.

Activated on
10 August 1942 at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. Reorganized as a towed battalion in
May 1943. Arrived at Marseilles, France, on 29 October 1944. Deployed near
Sarrebourg on 27 November. Fought around Bitche and against Siegfried Line
in December. Battled German Nordwind offensive in January 1945. Converted to
M18s in March and crossed the Rhine on the last day of the month. Joined the
stiff fight at Heilbronn on 8 April and then advanced to the Austrian border
by month’s end. Cleared the Bavarian mountains and took Innsbruck in early
May. Attached to: 45th, 100th, 103d Infantry divisions; 106th Cavalry Group.

825th(T)

Activated on 10 August 1942 at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. Reorganized as a towed
battalion in July 1943. Assigned to Communications Zone and 12th Army Group
security duties between August and December 1944. On 17 December, the battalion
entered combat near Malmedy, Belgium. Returned to security duties on 16 January
1945. Attached to: 30th Infantry Division.

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827thColored
(M18)

The 827th TD Battalion (Colored)
converted from towed AT guns to M18 76mm GMC in July 1944 before being deployed
to France in November 1944. The unit was poorly trained and, after poor
performance during the fighting in Hatten-Rittershoffen in Alsace, it was
withdrawn in mid-February 1945.

Additional information,

Activated on 20 April 1942 at Camp Forrest, Tennessee. One of several battalions
with black enlisted personnel and largely white officers. Reorganized as a towed
battalion in June 1943. Arrived in Seventh Army’s sector east of the Vosges at
the height of the German Nordwind offensive in January 1945, equipped with M18s.
Fought to eliminate the Colmar Pocket in late January and early February.
Transferred to Communications Zone for security duties in March and subsequently
undertook other rear-area functions. Attached to: 12th Armored Division; 79th
Infantry Division.

893rd(M10)

The 893rd TD Battalion,
equipped with the M10 3in. GMC, served with the 4th Infantry Division starting
on August 23, 1944. In late October it supported the 28th Division during the
opening phase of the Hürtgen Forest fighting, and was attached to the 78th
Division from December 11, 1944, until the end of the war. It retained the M10
tank destroyer until the end of the war.

Two M10's of the 893rd Tank Destroyer Battalion move up a wooded
road in the Hürtgen Forest (Germany)

Additional information,

93rd Infantry
Division Antitank Battalion redesignated on 15 December 1941 at Fort Benning,
Georgia. Arrived at Liverpool, England, on 20 January 1944. Landed at Omaha
beachhead on 1 July equipped with M10s. Committed to battle in the vicinity
of St. Jean de Daye. Advanced to Paris by 25 August and thence to the
Siegfried Line in the Schnee Eifel. Fought in the Hürtgen Forest in
November, supporting the 28th Infantry Division’s disastrous assault on
Schmidt, and remained there when the division was replaced. Held defensive
positions in January 1945. Supported 78th Infantry Division capture of the
Roer River dams in February 1945, then participated an offensive across the
Roer toward the Rhine River. Crossed the Rhine at Remagen on 7 March and
supported attack northward to Sieg River and subsequent operations against
the Ruhr Pocket in April. Attached to: 2d, 4th, 8th, 28th, 78th, 80th, 90th
Infantry divisions; 14th, 102d Cavalry groups.

894th(M10, also served
in Tunisia)

The 94th Antitank Battalion was redesignated the 894th Tank Destroyer Battalion
on 15 December 1941. Committed to battle 20 February 1943 at Kasserine Pass in
Tunisia. Supported capture of Bizerte. Landed in Italy in late October 1943,
located in vicinity of Pignataro in the Migniano sector as of December.
Transferred to Anzio beachhead on 25 January 1944, where battalion supported
mainly British troops. Entered Rome in June. Crossed Arno River at Pisa in
September. Mired at Porretta Terme late 1944–early 1945. Entered Genoa on 27
April. Attached to: 1st Armored Division; 34th, 45th, 85th, and 92d Infantry
divisions; 10th Mountain Division; British 1st and 5th Infantry divisions;
French Expeditionary Corps; Brazilian Expeditionary Force.

899th(M36, also served in
Tunisia with M10)

The 899th TD Battalion was
first deployed with the 9th Infantry Division on June 19, 1944, in Normandy and
supported the division through late July. It was originally equipped with the
M10 3in. GMC and later with the M36 90mm GMC.

The
99th Antitank Battalion was redesignated the 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion
on 15 December 1941. Arrived Casablanca 26 January 1943, where issued new
M10s. Deployed to Gafsa-El Guettar sector, Tunisia, on 16 March 1943.
Established first American contact with British Eighth Army on 7 April 1943.
Arrived Naples area, Italy, on 10 November 1943. Almost immediately shifted
to United Kingdom. Liaison personnel accompanied second glider lift of 82d
Airborne Division during invasion of Normandy. Battalion proper landed at
Utah Beach on D-Day. Helped capture Cherbourg late June. Supported Cobra
breakout late July, advance through Mayenne. Entered Belgium 2 September,
backed 9th Infantry Division operations in vicinity of Monschau and Hofen,
Germany. Fought in Rötgen/Hürtgen Forest region in October. Elements
deployed in first days of Battle of the Bulge to stop German advance, others
remained in VII Corps area. Supported attack to capture Roer River dams in
February 1945. Largely converted to M36s that same month. Crossed Roer River
28 February. Advanced to Rhine near Bad Godesberg, and first elements
crossed to Remagen bridgehead on 8 March. Joined attack on Ruhr Pocket in
April, then moved east into Harz Mountains. Moved to Mulde River for link-up
with Soviet forces, achieved 27 April. Began occupation duty in Bernburg 3
May 1945. Attached to: 82d Airborne Division; 1st Armored Division; 1st,
4th, 9th Infantry divisions.

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6 Battalions remained in the US:

606th
- 611th - 627th - 652nd - 670th - 816th

Like the mass employment of separate tank battalions, the deployment of the tank
destroyers in mass to defeat enemy armored attacks was never actually practiced.
In the Ardennes Campaign the Third Army employed one TD battalion as an
augmentation to the army's Military Police force. By the end of the war it was
clear that the tank destroyer experiment had no future in the army, on 10
November 1945 the Tank Destroyer Center at Fort Hood Texas was officially
discontinued, ending the existence of the tank destroyer force